Poinsettia plant named ‘PER979’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER979’, characterized by its inflorescences with large dark red-colored flower bracts; dark green-colored leaves; uniform, compact, upright and mounded plant habit; mid-season flowering; natural season flower maturity date is early December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar designation: ‘PER979’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER979’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new mid-season flowering Poinsettia cultivars having strong stems, attractive flower bract coloration, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in December 1997, of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘745’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,109, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima. Willd. identified as N-33, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar PER979 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., in December, 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., since July, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER979’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER979’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Inflorescences with large dark red-colored flower bracts.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform, compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   4. Mid-season flowering; natural season flower maturity date is         early December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.     -   5. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia are similar to plants of the female parent selection, however, plants of the new Poinsettia are not as vigorous as plants of the female parent selection.

Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Poinsettia have darker colored leaves and flower bracts, are more vigorous and flower about one week earlier.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily in time to flower as plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about two weeks later than plants of the cultivar 490.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER979’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom left of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘PER979’.

The photograph at the bottom right of the sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical plant of ‘PER979’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the autumn and winter under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging about 24° C., night temperatures averaging about 19° C. and light levels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched once. Plants were flowered under natural season short day/long night conditions. Plants were about 17 weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the detailed botanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar     PER979. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘745’, U.S.             Plant Pat. No. 11,109.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima             Willd. identified as code number N-33, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 28 days at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous, freely-branching; white in             color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Inverted triangle; top of plant mounded.         -   Growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniform plant habit.             Moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 37 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: About five lateral             branches develop after pinching. Length: About 17 cm.             Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 144A             tinged with 187B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 11.5 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire with irregular             lobing. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous smooth. Surface: Slightly rugose. Aspect:             Mostly flat. Orientation: Mostly horizontal to slightly             downward. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,             upper surface: 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:             147C. Petiole: Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color:             187B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are             not fragrant. Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern             Hemisphere. Flower initiation and development is induced             under long nyctoperiod conditions. Mid-season flowering,             response time about 9 weeks; natural season flower maturity             date is early December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.         -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia             maintain good substance and bract color for about four weeks             under interior conditions.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 31 cm. Height (depth):             About 5.5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18. Length,             largest bracts: About 15 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             10 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire with irregular lobing. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous; velvety. Surface: Initially,             rugose, becoming mostly smooth with development. Aspect,             Mostly flat. Orientation: Mostly horizontal to slightly             upright. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or             transitional bracts, upper surface: Darker than 53A.             Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: 53A. Fully             developed bracts, upper surface: 45A; color does not fade             with development. Fully developed bracts, lower surface:             53B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower             bract color. Bract petiole: Length: About 4.3 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth;             glabrous. Color: 187A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten. Diameter of cyathia             cluster: About 3.5 cm. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About             8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 144A. Color, mature:             144A to 144B. Peduncle: Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B. Stamens: Quantity per             cyathium: About seven to eight. Anther shape: Bi-lobed.             Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: 187A. Amount of             pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 11A. Pistils: None observed.             Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: About one or two. Size:             About 5 mm by 6 mm. Color: 26A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER979’, as illustrated and described. 